Padres open series with Mariners seeking to end interleague skid

The Padres host their “natural” rival from the American League on Tuesday night hoping to end an 11-game interleague losing streak.

While it is understandable why the Dodgers and Angels are “natural” rivals, and it's just as easy to make the case for San Francisco and Oakland, it's not quite as easy to make an argument for the rival between the Mariners and Padres.

Perhaps it's the fact the two teams share the same spring training ballpark in Peoria, Ariz. – or the fact they meet annually in that charity exhibition the day before the “official” start of spring training games.

Maybe it's the fact both cities are known for their seafood eateries.

But the tension is palpable going into the first of six meetings between the teams over the next 10 days.

Perhaps it is the fact the Mariners have had their way with the Padres the past three seasons. The Padres were 1-5 against Seattle last season and were swept at Petco Park – three of the eight straight home interleague losses that led to the overall 11-loss streak.

In the past three seasons, the Padres are 4-14 against the Mariners, including 1-8 at Petco Park. The Mariners hold an 33-29 edge on the Padres since the start of interleague play in 1997.

The Mariners also bring two of the game's best known player with them to San Diego – Ichiro Suzuki and Ken Griffey Jr.

Griffey ranks fifth on the all-time home run chart with 617. Suzuki is hitting .360 and has reached base in 43 straight games dating to April 28 and has hit safely in 45 of the Mariners past 48 games.

There is one other Mariners hitter of note.

Russell Branyan has resurrected his career with the Mariners and has 15 homers this season. Padre fans might remember Branyan, who on Sept. 24, 2006 drove a homer 453 feet into the palm trees in right center at Petco Park – which, until Adrian Gonzalez this season, shared the record for the longest homer hit at Petco Park.